Georgia state Representative Ruwa Romman, a Democrat, announced she is running for governor in the 2026 midterm elections on Monday.

Newsweek reached out to Romman’s campaign for comment via email on Monday.

Why It Matters

Georgia’s gubernatorial is expected to be among the most contested races of the midterms as Democrats are hoping to flip the governorship in one of the most closely divided swing states. Georgia narrowly backed President Donald Trump in 2024 but supported former President Joe Biden in 2020. The state has become more competitive as the Atlanta metro area has grown and exerted more influence over the state’s politics.

If elected, Romman, 32, would be the first Muslim-American governor ever elected in the United States. Romman, who is of Palestinian heritage, has also garnered national attention for her advocacy amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas as well as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

What To Know

Romman, who represents a suburban seat outside of Atlanta, announced her campaign on Monday, highlighting her support for raising the minimum wage and plans to address struggling hospitals across the state.

“I will use every tool at my disposal as governor to raise the minimum wage, to feed hungry kids, to reopen hospitals, to take homes back from corporations and to invest in small businesses,” she said in her campaign launch video. “Georgia belongs to all of us, not just corporations and special interests.”

Romman immigrated to the U.S. from Jordan when she was 7 years old and is the granddaughter of Palestinian refugees. She represents a suburban district in Gwinnett County and was first elected to the Georgia State House in 2022.

She was notably proposed as a speaker at the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) by uncommitted delegates who were withholding support for former Vice President Kamala Harris over the Biden administration’s handling of the crisis in Gaza. Democrats ultimately opted against allowing her to speak.

Instead, she delivered a speech outside the DNC, calling for a ceasefire. She also voiced support for Harris’ candidacy in an opinion article for Rolling Stone, where she wrote that she supported Harris “for the people in my district and state who cannot survive another Trump presidency.”

"My vote is a promise — a promise that I and those who stand with me will not stop demanding the end of mass slaughter and violence everywhere. It’s a promise that, if Vice President Harris wins, we will work both for the people in my district and to use every avenue to demand she end this genocide and the decades-long, bigoted policies that have led to mass destruction, death, and displacement of Palestinians," she wrote at the time.

She is joining an already crowded field of Democrats including former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan and former state Senator Jason Esteves. On the Republican side, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones has won the endorsement from Trump, but other candidates like Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger are also running.

Jeffrey Lazarus, professor of political science at Georgia State University, told Newsweek on Monday that Romman may see an opportunity in that few of Democrats running for governor are from the party's more progressive wing of the party.

"That being said, I don't anticipate Rep. Romman being a major figure in the Democratic primary.  There are already two really big names in the race in Duncan and Keisha Bottoms. Plus Michael Thurmond, who's not quite as high profile as the other two, but does have decades of experience in Georgia politics," he said.

Romman's base may be "difficult to expand," as there are fewer progressive voters outside of Atlanta, he said. Her bid may be intended to build up her personal political brand, which could be a "savvy move," Lazarus added.

Incumbent GOP Governor Brian Kemp is unable to run for a third term due to term limits.

What People Are Saying

Lazarus also told Newsweek: "There's a good bet the race comes down to Bottoms vs. Duncan based on name recognition alone. (The most likely way that changes is if one of the other candidates somehow captures the attention of the state's political donors.)  And if it does come to that, my money would be on Bottoms.  Even under normal circumstances it's more difficult to win a primary election as an ideological centrist than as someone closest to the median voter of the party.  And that task gets all the harder when your opponents can say 'This guy was a Republican until yesterday! And you want him representing Democrats?'"

Georgia state Representative Ruwa Romman said in remarks reported by the AP: “For far too long, people have been too cautious or too willing to compromise with special interests and large corporations, and it’s left too many people behind.”

Democratic state Representative Esther Panitch said in remarks reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “With the future of our country at stake, we can’t afford to indulge an unserious candidate’s ego for the highest office in Georgia.”

What Happens Next

Georgia's primary is set for May 19, 2026.

The Cook Political Report considers the race as a pure toss-up. However, Sabato's Crystal Ball classifies the race as "Leans Republican."

Update 9/29/2025 5:46 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Lazarus.